2 November 2011

Once Thanksgiving has come and gone it is time to switch gears and bring out the warm sweaters, start a fire and begin to browse through my trusted cookbooks for comforting dishes to ward off any chill in the air. Living in Canada cold weather is an inevitable and unavoidable part of winter. Since I won't be moving to the Bahamas any time soon I have to think of ways to keep warm during the cold winter months and food usually plays a huge role.

We are so glad you have joined us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries, Canada and the United States, get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We are now in our second year and continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! Every month millions of readers turn to Cooking Light for recipes, advice on nutrition and fitness. This months theme to celebrate the harvest is hosted by Roz of La Bella Vita. Welcome to our kitchens!!!If you would like to join in add your light recipe that fits the theme into the Linky below.

With the shorter days comes the longing for comfort foods. When sick, or tired, or far from home, everyone seems to yearn for the gastronomic equivalent of a warm sweater, a kiss on the forehead, or a favourite blanket. Comfort foods nourish the soul as well as our bodies and tend to be familiar foods that remind us of simpler times or of a contented childhood. The best medicine when the weather turns is undeniably some delicious comfort food. Just like the pending season your senses can be awakened with anything from a caramelized squash soup to a large bowl of comfortable macaroni and cheese. It is not uncommon for my home to be filled with warm, fragrant and earthy aromas of a slow cooked roast or bubbling crock pot.

For me one of the biggest comfort foods of the season are potatoes and their relatives. I also brought a side of Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa. While I am still craving sun-ripened tomatoes, I find a myriad of squash, pumpkins and apples overflowing from market baskets instead. These mildly spiced latkes are the perfect way to highlight the season with a crisp apple salsa and a rich, buttery potato and butternut squash latke. What could be more perfect for the season!

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

In the last year I have come to love Cooking Light. Flavor is never sacrificed - there's always something interesting in the mix and you are not reduced to watching your weight with raw carrots and celery! I shy away from latkes and love them - and here they are - deliciously prepared - with my favorite - an autumn soup! The apple salsa is autumn-inspired.

As usual, another fabulous looking dish. We've been getting creative with butternut squash over the last couple of weeks or so. Why haven't we thought of currying it before. Mmmm, that's next on the list. Thanks.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 12 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.